William Edward Norris
William Edward Norris (18 November 1847 – 1925) was an English novelist and writer of short stories. Norris wrote over 60 novels; the Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th (ed), published in 1911, listed the following as his best to that date: Mademoiselle de Mersac (1880), Matrimony (1881), No New Thing (1883), My Friend Jim (1886), The Rogue (1888), The Despotic Lady (1895), Mathew Austin (1895), The Widower (1898), Nature's Comedian (1904) and Pauline (1908).[1]
Life
William Edward Norris was born in London, the son of Sir William Norris, Chief Justice of Ceylon.[2] He was educated at Eton, and called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1874, though he never practised law.[3] His first story, Heap of Money, appeared in 1877, and was followed by a long series of novels, many of which first appeared in the Temple Bar and Cornhill magazines.[1]
Works
Novels
- Heaps of Money (1877). Also published as From Poverty to Wealth
- Mademoiselle de Mersac (1880)
- Matrimony (1881)
- No New Thing (1883)
- Thirlby Hall (1883)
- Adrian Vidal (1885)
- A Bachelor's Blunder (1886)
- My Friend Jim (1886)
- Major and Minor (1887)
- Chris (1888)
- The Rogue (1888)
- Miss Shafto (1889)
- Mrs. Fenton (1889)
- The Baffled Conspirators (1890)
- Marcia (1890)
- Misadventure (1890)
- Miss Wentworth's Idea (1891)
- Mr. Chaine's Sons (1891). Also published as The Brothers Three
- His Grace (1892)
- The Countess Radna (1893)
- A Deplorable Affair (1893)
- Matthew Austin (1894)
- Saint Ann's (1894)
- A Victim of Good Luck (1894)
- Billy Bellew (1895)
- Clarissa Furiosa (1897)
- The Dancer in Yellow (1896)
- The Fight for the Crown (1898)
- Marietta's Marriage (1897)
- The Widower (1898)
- Giles Ingilby (1899)
- The Flower of the Flock (1900)
- The Embarrassing Orphan (1901). Also published as An Embarrassing Orphan
- His Own Father (1901). Also published as The Distresses of Daphne
- The Credit of the County (1902)
- Lord Leonard the Luckless (1903)
- Nature's Comedian (1904)
- Nigel's Vocation (1904)
- Barham of Beltana (1905). Also published as Payment in Full, and as After Many Years
- Lone Marie (1905)
- Harry and Ursula (1907)
- The Square Peg (1907)
- Pauline (1908)
- The Perjurer (1909)
- Not Guilty (1910)
- Vittoria Victrix (1911)
- Paul's Paragon (1912)
- The Right Honourable Gentleman (1913)
- Barbara and Company (1914)
- Troubled Tranton (1915). Also published as An Evil Inheritance
- Proud Peter (1916)
- Brown Amber (1917)
- The Fond Fugitives (1917)
- The Narrow Strait (1918)
- The Obstinate Lady (1919)
- The Triumphs of Sara (1920)
- Tony the Exceptional (1921)
- Sabine and Sabina (1922)
- Next of Kin (1923)
- The Conscience of Gavin Blane (1924)
- Trevalion (1925)
- Adrienne of Auxelles (1926)
Short story collections
- A Man of His Word, and other stories (1885)
- A Man of his Word
- La Bella Sorrentina
- The Man with the Red Hair
- Nils Jensen
- The Princess Paolini
- Count Waldemar
- The Countess Adelcrantz
- Mrs. Van Steen
- The Old Woman of the Sea
- Jack's Father, and other stories (1891)
- Jack's Father
- The Romance of Paulilatino
- Mysterious Mrs. Wilkinson
- The Wingham Case
- A Queer Business
- Clever Lady Sophia
- Poor Harry
- The Spectre of Strathannan (1895)
- The Spectre of Strathannan
- The Scamp's Parable
- A Ghastly Predicament
- Between the Two
- The McCleverty
- The Room without a Door
- The Despotic Lady, and others (1895)
- The Despotic Lady
- A Slight Misunderstanding
- Old Jackson
- A Three-Bottle Comedy
- The Hermit of Saint-Eugène
- An Unresolved Discord
- An Octave (1900)
- Miser Morgan
- The Tenant of Shag Rock
- The First Lord and the Last Lady
- A Daughter of the Hills
- Citizens of the World
- A Préfet of the Second Empire
- In Good Faith
- Prince Coresco's Duel
Short Stories in magazines, newspapers and anthologies
- Monsieur Bedeau
- 1875 Sep, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.32
- 1875 October 16, 23, in Littell's Living Age Vol.127
- La Bella Sorrentina
- 1876 Feb, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.33
- 1876 Apr 1, in Littell's Living Age Vol.129
- Nils Jensen
- 1877 Mar, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.35
- 1877 Apr 14, in Littell's Living Age Vol.133
- The Princess Paolini
- 1877 Sep, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.36
- 1877 Oct 6, in Littell's Living Age Vol.135
- Count Waldemar
- 1878 May, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.37
- 1878 Jun 8, in Littell's Living Age Vol.137
- Bianca
- 1878 Nov, in Belgravia Vol.37
- 1878 Dec 28, in Littell's Living Age Vol.139
- 1896, in Stories by English Authors: Italy [Anthology]
- The Old Maid's Holiday
- 1879 Sep, in Belgravia Vol.39
- The Countess Adelcrantz
- 1880 Jan, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.41
- Mrs. Van Steen
- 1880 Dec, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.42
- Némorosa
- 1881 Sep, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.44
- The Man with the Red Hair
- 1882 Jan, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.45
- 1882 Feb 18, in Littell's Living Age Vol.152
- The Old Woman of the Sea
- 1883 Jul, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.48
- The Romance of Paulilatino
- 1883 Sep, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.48
- A Slight Misunderstanding
- 1883 Oct, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.48
- A Man of his Word
- 1884 Summer, in The Graphic
- The Hermit of Saint-Eugène
- 1884 Oct, in Longman's Magazine Vol.4
- 1884 Oct 25, in Littell's Living Age Vol.163
- That Terrible Man aka A Terrible Man
- 1884 Nov, Dec 1885 Jan, in The English Illustrated Magazine Vol.2
- Mysterious Mrs. Wilkinson
- 1885 Jul, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.52
- A Diplomatic Victory
- 1886 Apr, in Longman's Magazine Vol.7
- 1886 May 15, in Littell's Living Age Vol.169
- The Wingham Case
- 1886 Jun, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.53
- Her Own Doing
- 1886 Summer, in The Graphic
- In Good Faith
- 1886 Jul, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.54
- Prince Coresco's Duel
- 1886 Aug, in Longman's Magazine Vol.8
- 1886 Sep 18, in Littell's Living Age Vol.170
- The Spectre of Strathannan
- 1886 Christmas, in The Witching Time [Annual]
- Clever Lady Sophia
- 1887 Apr, in Longman's Magazine Vol.9
- All Ye that Pass By
- 1887 May 28, 4 Jun, in The Illustrated London News
- Robinson's Friend
- 1887 Christmas, in The Graphic
- A Queer Business
- 1888 Feb, in Longman's Magazine Vol.11
- Jack's Father
- 1888 May, Jun, in Murray's Magazine Vol.3
- Poor Harry
- 1888 Sep, in Longman's Magazine Vol.12
- 1888 Oct 27, in Littell's Living Age Vol.179
- La Belle Américaine
- 1888 Dec, in The English Illustrated Magazine Vol.6
- The Duffer
- 1889 Jun 8, in The Nottinghamshire Guardian
- 1890, in Twenty Novelettes [Anthology]
- 1894 Aug 31, 7 Sep, in The Middlesex Courier
- 1894, in A Dozen All Told [Anthology]
- 1895 Dec, in Short Stories Vol.20
- Invisible Mr. Morgan (29 June 1889)
- 1889 Nov 30, in Manchester Weekly Times Supplement
- Mr. Gregory's Misadventure
- 1889 Dec, in Atalanta Vol.3
- The Old Brown Mare
- 1890 Mar, in The English Illustrated Magazine Vol.7
- An Innocent Chaperone
- 1891 Jan, in Longman's Magazine Vol.17
- The Romance of Madame de Chanteloup
- 1891 Apr 11, in Black and White Vol.1
- 1891 Nov 21, in The Newcastle Courant
- 1891 Nov 21, in The Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle
- 1893, in Stories From Black And White [Anthology]
- The Room Without a Door
- 1891 May 22, in Manchester Weekly Times Supplement
- 1892 Jan 22, in Blackheath Gazette
- Quite Impossible (26 July 1891)
- 1891 Aug 1, in Black and White Vol.2
- 1892 Jan 23, in The Newcastle Courant
- 1892 Jan 23, in The Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle
- 1894, in Miss Parson's Adventure [Anthology]
- 1898 Apr 23, in The Nottinghamshire Guardian
- 1900 Aug 11, in The Hampshire Telegraph Supplement
- Ambitious Mrs. Willatts
- 1891 Aug, in Longman's Magazine Vol.18
- The Musical Mouse
- 1891 Oct 3, in Black and White Vol.2
- 1901, in Strange Happenings [Anthology]
- The Philosopher's Son
- 1891 Dec 5, in Black and White Vol.2
- 1901, in Strange Happenings [Anthology]
- A Tough Job (13 December 1891)
- The Late Viscount Brent
- 1892 Nov 25, 2 Dec, in Manchester Weekly Times Supplement
- 1892 Nov 25, 2 Dec, in The Middlesex Courier
- 1892 Nov 26, 3 Dec, in The Leeds Mercury Weekly Supplement
- 1892 Nov 26, 3 Dec, in The Derby Daily Telegraph
- The Scamp's Parable
- 1893 Apr 1, in The Newcastle Courant
- 1894 Aug 11, in The Derby Daily Telegraph
- Between the Two
- 1893 Jul 8, in The Newcastle Courant
- The Nethergate Tragedy
- 1893 Jul 26, in The Pall Mall Gazette
- A Candidate for Martyrdom
- 1893 Aug, in The Pall Mall Magazine Vol.1
- A Three-Bottle Comedy
- 1893 Oct, in Longman's Magazine Vol.22
- 1893 Dec 9, in Littell's Living Age Vol.199
- 1894 Apr, in Short Stories Vol.15
- A Partie Carrée
- 1893 Dec, in Harper's New Monthly Magazine Vol.88
- Kaddour
- 1893 Dec, in The English Illustrated Magazine Vol.11
- The McCleverty
- 1894 Jan 12, in Manchester Weekly Times Supplement
- 1894 Jan 13, in The Penny Illustrated Paper
- Old Jackson
- 1894 Mar, in Good Words 1894
- Her Ladyship's Veil
- 1894 May, in The Pall Mall Magazine Vol.3
- The Tug of War
- 1894 Jun, in Harper's New Monthly Magazine Vol.89
- A Ghastly Predicament
- 1894 Jun 16, in The Nottinghamshire Guardian
- An Unresolved Discord
- 1894 Oct, in Longman's Magazine Vol.24
- 1894 Nov 17, in Littell's Living Age Vol.203
- The Despotic Lady
- 1894, 10 November 17, 24, 1 December 8, in The Graphic
- The Tenant of Shag Rock
- 1895 Jun, in Longman's Magazine Vol.26
- My Fellow-Poacher
- 1895 Aug, in The Badminton Magazine Vol.1
- Sir William's Wife
- 1895 Dec, in The English Illustrated Magazine Vol.14
- Miser Morgan
- 1896 Feb, in Longman's Magazine Vol.27
- 1896 Feb 22, in Littell's Living Age Vol.208
- Scandalous Martha
- 1896 Feb, in Chapman's Magazine Vol.3
- The King's Cousin
- 1896 Feb 15, in The Leeds Mercury Weekly Supplement
- 1896 February 15, 22, in The Newcastle Courant
- 1896 February 15, 22, in The Nottinghamshire Guardian
- The Dowager's Companion
- 1896 Jun, in Harper's New Monthly Magazine Vol.93
- Topper
- 1896 Jul, in Badminton Magazine Vol.3
- The Three Aspirants
- 1896 Nov, in The Lady's Realm Vol.1
- The Beneficient Blunderer
- 1896 Nov 7, in The Leeds Mercury Weekly Supplement
- 1896 Nov 7, in The Nottinghamshire Guardian
- The Anarchical Clerk
- 1896 Nov 14, in The Nottinghamshire Guardian
- The Two Noels
- 1896 Dec 12, in The Nottinghamshire Guardian
- 1896 Dec 12, in The Leeds Mercury Weekly Supplement
- 1896 Dec 26, in The Bristol Mercury Weekly Supplement
- A Christmas Bonfire (13 December 1896)
- 1899 Mar 4, in The Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald (as The Matchmaker)
- A Half Genius
- 1896 Christmas, in The Graphic
- A Simple Soul
- 1897 Apr, in The Lady's Realm Vol.1
- Hard Luck
- 1897 May 8, in The Illustrated London News
- A Préfet of the Second Empire
- 1897 Summer, in The Graphic
- A Sorrowful Sonneteer
- 1897 Nov, in The Lady's Realm Vol.3
- The Christmas Diamond (1897 December 9, 10)
- 1903 Dec 23, in The Manchester Evening News
- The Princess's Betrothal
- 1898 Jan 8, in The Newcastle Courant
- 1898 Jan 8, in The Manchester Courier Weekly Supplement
- 1900 Jul 7, in The Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
- 1900 July 16, 17, in The Shields Daily Gazette and Shipping Telegraph
- The Lady of the Manor
- 1898 Jul 9, in The Nottinghamshire Guardian
- 1898 Jul 9, in The Bristol Mercury Weekly Supplement
- 1899 Jan 11, in The Taunton Courier
- A Daughter of the Hills
- 1898 Sep 3, in The Illustrated London News
- The First Lord and the Last Lady
- 1899 Feb, in Longman's Magazine Vol.33
- Miss Bob
- 1899 Mar 30, in Hearth and Home
- 1899 Apr 1, in The Newcastle Courant
- 1900 Feb 24, in The Manchester Courier Weekly Supplement
- 1902 Feb 1, in The Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
- Citizens of the World
- 1899 Apr 8, in The Illustrated London News
- When Thieves Fall Out
- 1899 May 20, in The Illustrated London News
- 1900, in The Ladysmith Treasury [Anthology]
- Among Thieves
- 1899 May 27, 3 Jun, in Harper's Weekly Vol.43 (as Amongst Thieves)
- 1899 June 3, 10, in The Graphic
- Mrs. Le Grand
- 1899 Summer, in The Graphic
- The Widow's Might
- 1899 Jul 22, in The Nottinghamshire Guardian
- 1899 Jul 22, in The Hampshire Telegraph Supplement
- 1899 Jul 22, in The Manchester Evening News
- 1903 Mar 20, in Leamington Spa Courier
- Vincenzo's Triumph
- 1899 Nov 23, in The Independent Vol.51
- Filia Pulchrior
- 1900 Mar, in Longman's Magazine Vol.35
- The Errors of the Wise
- 1900 Apr 14, in The Newcastle Courant
- 1900 Jul 5, in Hearth and Home
- 1902 Nov 22, in The Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
- Sir William the Silent
- 1900 Summer, in The Graphic
- The Heroic Revivalists
- 1901 Jan, in Longman's Magazine Vol.37
- The Deputy Mendicant
- 1901 Jan 26, in The Illustrated London News
- The Lovers' Meeting (28 September 1901)
- 1903 Feb 7, in The Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
- An Unworthy Stratagem
- 1901 Dec 7, in The Illustrated London News
- Mrs. Gilbert's Puppets
- 1901 Christmas, in The Graphic
- First or Second?
- 1902 Jan 4, in The Manchester Courier Weekly Supplement
- Mr. Brough's Client
- 1902 Oct, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.86
- The Elusive Coronet
- 1903 Jul 4, in Cardiff Times and South Wales Weekly News
- The Roses of Christmas (19 December 1903)
- The Butler Intervenes (1904 Dec 24 )(cf The Beneficient Blunderer, 1896)
- An Uncharted Reef
- 1905 Aug, in Longman's Magazine Vol.46
- A Repentant Defaulter (27 September 1905) (cf All Ye that Pass By, 1887)
- Fifteen Drops
- 1905 Dec, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.92
- The Mulcted Millionaire (27 December 1905)
- The Reforming of Lady Wynchcombe
- 1906 Jan 3, in The Bystander Vol.9
- Sir Robert & the Adventuress
- 1906 Mar 23, in Daily Mail
- The Perdition of Peter Sherard
- 1906 April 14, 21, in The Illustrated London Magazine
- My Own Petard (31 August 1906)
- 1913 Jun, in The English Illustrated Magazine Vol.49
- The King and the Anarchist
- 1906 Oct, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.94
- The Princess's Eyebrow
- 1906 Dec 5, in The Bystander Vol.12
- The Thieves' Terror
- 1907 May, in The Strand Magazine Vol.33
- Mascali the Avenger
- 1907 Jul, in The London Magazine Vol.18
- The Coward
- 1907 Aug, in The Blue Book Magazine Vol.5
- A Base Conspiracy (28 December 1907)
- The Heart of the Editor (25 January 1908)
- 1908 Feb, in Every Where Vol.21
- 1908 Sep, in Short Stories Vol.70
- The Missing Links
- 1908 Aug, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.98
- The Fellow-Lodgers (10 April 1909)
- The Girl with Only One Talent
- 1909 Jun, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.99
- The Mummers of Marpleton (4 December 1909)
- A Change of Partners (25 February 1910)
- The Strayed Bishop
- 1910 Oct 22, in Cardiff Times and South Wales Weekly News
- The Magic Mistletoe (17 December 1910)
- The Refractory Prince (22 April 1911)
- Wily Miss Wilton (27 May 1911)
- 1915 Jul, in The Canadian Magazine Vol.45
- Florinda's Christmas Eve (23 December 1911)
- 1918 Dec, in The Canadian Magazine Vol.52
- The Black Spectre
- 1912 Mar, in The Pall Mall Magazine Vol.49
- 1914 Jan 31, in The Tamworth Herald
- Befogged (27 July 1912)
- On and Off Guard (8 November 1913)
- Friendship's Penalty
- 1913 Dec, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.108
- Star Sapphira (1913 December 23, 24)
- The Fiddler's Fortune (14 January 1914)
- The Lady and the Burglar (23 May 1914)
- A Peasant of Lorraine
- 1914 Oct, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.110
- 1914 Nov 7, in The Living Age Vol.283
- The Hedonic Old Lady (24 October 1914)
- A Christmas Arbitration (19 December 1914)
- The Incriminating Weapon (25 September 1915)
- The Truce of God (11 December 1915)
- The Christmas After (23 December 1916)
- Jan Issel
- 1917 Jan, in The Cornhill Magazine Vol.115
- The Charming Miscreant (8 June 1917)
- The Dark House
- 1917 Dec, in The Canadian Magazine Vol.50
- The Warning Blast (13 April 1918)
- A Modest Machiavelli (before 12 June 1920)
- Two Sons of France (before 12 June 1920)
- The Sublime Ass (12 June 1920)
- The Insurgent Revellers (14 January 1922)
- The Appalling Passenger (15 July 1922)
- By Mutual Consent (15 September 1923)
- The Willingham Van Dyck (2 February 1924)
- A Hater of Women (12 October 1924)
- 1925 Sep 19, in The Derby Daily Telegraph
- A Victim of Impulse (13 August 1925)
- The Involuntary Absconders (12 September 1925)
- Robbery by Request (3 August 1926)
References
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Norris, William Edward". Encyclopædia Britannica. 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 757–758.
- Norris, William Edward, Beadle and Adams Dime Novel Digitization Project, Northern Illinois University Libraries.
- "NORRIS, William Edward". Who's Who. ukwhoswho.com. A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 7 January 2013. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
- Who Was Who gives his date of death as 19 November 1925.
External links
- Works by William Edward Norris at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about William Edward Norris at Internet Archive
- Works by William Edward Norris at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
- Works by William Edward Norris at Google Books